The editors of the Journal of Transformative Studies invite authors to submit original papers for consideration. Papers most likely to be published are those that match the descriptions provided on the About the Journal page. In submitting a manuscript, please consider this audience. We do not use material that has been published elsewhere, either in print or electronically, except as noted in Permissions, later in this document.

Submission of Manuscripts

      All new manuscripts must be submitted electronically via email to submissions@journaloftransformativestudies.org. Authors are requested to submit the text, tables, and artwork in electronic form to this address.

      Accepted submission items include a cover letter, suggested reviewers, the manuscript (including title page, abstract, manuscript text, references, and table/figure legends), tables, and figures. Revised manuscripts should also be accompanied by responses to reviewers' comments. Your initial submission should include all images, figures, tables, etc. in the primary document.

      Authors who are unable to provide an electronic version or have other circumstances that prevent online submission must contact submissions@journaloftransformativestudies.org prior to submission to discuss alternate options.

      The journal is published twice a year. Deadlines for submission are:

Issue 1:

Issue 2:

The Journal publishes 6 primary types of content:

1. Original Research - Manuscripts usually contain between 2500 and 5000 words and are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they have not been published or submitted elsewhere. They are subject to blinded peer review; that is, authors and reviewers are not identified by name during the review process. Original research includes randomized, controlled trials; outcome studies; intervention studies; cost-effectiveness analyses; case-control series; qualitative studies; and surveys with high response rates. Each manuscript should begin with an abstract that includes a hypothesis or objective, study methods, the interventions being evaluated, the main outcome measures, and the main results. The body of the manuscript should cover this material in greater detail and include a discussion section as well as references. The CONSORT author guidelines (www.consort-statement.org) checklist must be submitted with each manuscript that is a randomized controlled trial. For qualitative studies, the abstract should include research question, theoretical framework, methods, context, sample, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and main results.

2. Theoretical Articles - Manuscripts usually contain between 2500 and 5000 words and are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they have not been published or submitted elsewhere. Theoretical articles are subject to blinded peer review; that is, authors and reviewers are not identified by name during the review process. Each manuscript should begin with an abstract. The body of the manuscript should cover this material in greater detail and include a discussion section as well as references.

3. Brief Reports - These articles-usually pilot studies, brief evaluations, and reviews-must be unique, first-time reports with a typical length of 750 to 1600 words (approximately 9 typed, double-spaced pages) with no more than 3 tables and/or figures and 15 references. Brief Reports are subject to blinded peer-review in the same manner as original research manuscripts. Authors should follow all requirements for longer manuscripts when submitting Brief Reports, including the understanding that they have not been published or submitted elsewhere. This type of article should be used for first-person based research, such as preliminary research performed by the author on him or herself.

4. Review articles/Systematic reviews/Meta-analyses - These articles include systematic assessments academic literature and data sources (including meta-analyses) as well as overviews of complementary and alternative therapeutic systems will be considered. Articles used in a review should be selected systematically and evaluated by a process discussed in the manuscript. Manuscripts usually contain between 3000 and 7000 words and are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they have not been published or submitted elsewhere. Review articles undergo the peer review process.

5. Letters to the Editor - Letters discussing a recent article are welcome. Letters should not exceed 750 words of text and 10 references.

6. Media reviews - Reviews of relevant books, videos, and other types of media are welcome. These should be between 500 and 2000 words and are not subject to the peer review process.

 

Submitting Manuscripts

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically. Include your mailing address, telephone, and fax numbers in your e-mail message as well as an electronic version (Microsoft Word preferred). Tables, images, and figures should be included in the document.

Duration - Time from receipt of initial submission to final editorial decision takes between one to six months.

Acknowledgement - Unsolicited submissions are usually acknowledged, along with a reference number, within 1 week of receipt in our office. The reference number should be used in all future communications with the journal. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please follow up with us. Letters to the Editor and general correspondence are not acknowledged.

Peer Review - All submissions designated as Original Research, Theoretical Articles, Brief Reports, or Review articles are subject to blinded peer review. Your paper will first be read for validity, originality, and significance of the work presented by one of the journal's editors. Manuscripts may be rejected on the basis of this evaluation. That decision will be communicated quickly. Positive reviews by the editors are followed by peer review. If the manuscript is sent out for peer review, you will be informed by the editor managing your manuscript. Reviews are blinded; that is, authors and reviewers are not identified by name during the review process. Occasionally we will ask authors to recommend one or more potential reviewers when a paper covers cutting edge topics for which we might not have established reviewers. After the manuscript has been reviewed, you will be informed whether it has been accepted for publication, rejected, or requires revision.

Decision - Revisions may be requested for submissions as a result of the previous review stages. The request for revisions does not constitute acceptance for publication, but is an invitation to strengthen your paper for further scrutiny. In your resubmission, the reviewers' comments must be answered or rebutted, both in the text of the manuscript and in a separate accompanying letter to facilitate the review of your revised manuscript. Some of the comments will be technical and some, substantive; all should be addressed. After revision, your paper may again be subjected to a full peer review, usually by the same referees.

Final Decision - You will be notified via electronic mail regarding the final decision about your submission. No publication date will be set at this time; proofs will be sent to you for approval and you will be notified when a publication date has been established.

Ethics - When human experimentation is being reported, include a statement to confirm that the work was done in accordance with the appropriate institutional review body and carried out with the ethical standards set forth in the Helsinki Declaration of 1975. When laboratory animals are used, there should be a statement that the work was carried out according to the National Research Council's protocol for, or any national law on, the care and use of laboratory animals.

Manuscript Content -Your manuscript should be formatted according
All accepted manuscripts, artwork, and photographs become subject to the Creative Commons Attribution License.

All parts of the manuscript should follow the current APA format. They should be typewritten, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, with margins of at least one inch on all sides. Number manuscript pages consecutively throughout the paper. Authors should also supply a shortened version of the title suitable for the running head, not exceeding 50 character spaces. Each article should be summarized in an abstract of not more that 100 words. Keywords must also be supplied. In the abstract, avoid abbreviations, diagrams, and reference to the text.

Abstracts - Abstracts should be written in the third person. Structured abstracts should contain no more than 250 words; unstructured abstracts should contain no more than 150 words. The following are general recommendations to consider regarding your abstract:
- In manuscripts reporting original data, use the following abstract subheadings: Context, Objective, Design, Setting, Patients or Other Participants, Intervention(s), Main Outcome Measure(s), and Results.
- For review manuscripts or meta-analyses, use the following: Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Data Synthesis, and Conclusions.
- For qualitative manuscripts, use the following: Research Question, Theoretical Framework, Methodology, Context, Sample Selection, Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation, and Main Results.

Tables and Figures - Tables and figures should be embedded in the text for initial submission, but may eventually be required as separate files. A short descriptive title should appear above each table with a clear legend and any footnotes suitably identified below. Number and title each table consecutively in the order mentioned in the text. Each column within a table should have a heading. All units must be included. Figures should be completely labeled, taking into account necessary size reduction. Captions should be typed, double-spaced, on a separate sheet. All original figures should be clearly marked in pencil on the reverse side with the number, author’s name, and top edge indicated. Include the name of the photographer or illustrator, if applicable. In clinical photographs in which the patient can be recognized, include a release signed by the patient or guardian granting permission to publish the photograph. If permission is not obtained, the photograph will be cropped to ensure anonymity. All figures must be submitted electronically.

Illustrations - Illustrations submitted (line drawings, halftones, photos, photomicrographs, etc.) should be clean originals or digital files. Digital files are recommended for highest quality reproduction and should follow these guidelines:
- 300 dpi or higher
- sized to fit on journal page
- EPS, TIFF, or PSD format only
- submitted as separate files, not embedded in text files

Color illustrations will be considered for publication; however, the author will be required to bear the full cost involved in their printing and publication. The charge for the first page with color is $900.00. The next three pages with color are $450.00 each. A custom quote will be provided for color art totaling more than 4 journal pages. Good-quality color prints or files should be provided in their final size. The publisher has the right to refuse publication of color prints deemed unacceptable.

Footnotes - Footnotes should be noted in numerical order within the text and then placed at the end of the manuscript, preceding the references.

References - Within text, citations should be cited by author(s) and date in parentheses. Full citations are required and should be arranged alphabetically. Start references on a separate page following the text. For further information, consult the current edition of the APA manual.

(Proper use of italics not shown in the following examples)

Journal:
Strohmaier, G. (1991). Ibn sijna's psychology and dante's divine comedy. J Hist Arabic Sci, 9(1-2), 107-111.

Book:
Unschuld, P. U. (1985). Medicine in china: A history of ideas. Berkeley.

Chapter in a Book:
Schwandt, T. A. (2005). Three epistemological stances for qualitative inquiry, interpretveism, hermeneutics, and social constructionism. In Norman K. Denzin (Editor) & Y. S. L. (Editor) (Eds.), The landscape of qualitative research, theories and issues (3 ed., pp. 292-331): Sage Publications.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) - The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement is required for describing a randomized, controlled trial (http://www.consort-statement.org).

Permissions - If any material in the manuscript is from a prior copyrighted publication, a letter of permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material should be included. If a photo or illustration does not belong to the author, it must be accompanied by a permission letter to reproduce it from the copyright holder. Those cited in personal communications (verbal or written) or acknowledgments also must grant the author written permission for the use of their names and/or material.

Proprietary Interest - Authors with financial or proprietary interest in the subject matter or materials discussed (for example: employment, stock ownership, honoraria, etc) will be asked to submit a statement for publication on the first page of the article.

Thank you for your interest in the Journal of Transformative Studies.